Leonard prepped for surgeryDesperate to get readyOne of the red shirts was hurtAn honorable manA great poker playerA man by the name of Kenny

From the scans a med-tech had doneIt looked as if there were a lot of damageLooked as if there were little hopeHe thought briefly of Eric CartmanWho was Kenny's loverThen wiped out of his mindEverything but his task

He was going to do his bestTry his hardest for this patientIn order to do thatHe would have to forget It was Kenny

He went into the operating roomWas met by ChristineHis favorite assistant when The situation was desperateShe had a knack for anticipatingWhat equipment he would need

Christine had a knack for Setting him at easeHelping him to focusKnew where each piece of equipment wasHe was glad she was on dutyToday when he would tryHis very best to save Kenny

He worked on KennyFor quite some timeUsing hyposprays and autosuturesThe cardio stimulatorThe neural stimulatorEvery weapon and techniqueIn his vast arsenal

Remembering that his most vitalImportant toolsWere his mind and heartHe worked quickly and desperatelyTried every avenueFought death with every procedureWith every instrument he couldThough he could see death winningHe did not give up the fightFor if he tried hard enoughIf he could perform another miraclePerhaps he'd win against death after all

In the end despite all he had triedIn spite of doing his bestDeath won and Leonard bowed his headHis heart and soul achedFor the unique and precious person lostHis heart and soul cried For Kenny and his lover Eric

Christine gently placed her handUpon Leonard's shoulder"I'll clean up here while you goTo speak with Lieutenant CartmanYou did everything you could LenYou are the best doctor I've ever seenCartman will come to understandYou did your very bestPlease Len allow yourself to believeThat there was nothing more you could do."

Leonard just shook his headHis soul aching too much to acceptThat he could not do morePerhaps if he had tried this other techniquePerhaps if he had used that protoplasterPerhaps that new medicinePerhaps if he was quicker, smarterPerhaps if he was a better surgeonHe would have been able to save Kenny

He informed Lieutenant CartmanOf his lover's deathSaw Eric's shattered lookWhen Lieutenant Cartman started to shakeTook Eric into his armsHeld on as Eric mourned And beat his fist and cried"Why didn't you do something?Why didn't you try?"

A friend of Lieutenant Cartman's led him awayTo rest and to mournEric's words echoed in his ears"Why didn't you do something?Why didn't you try?"Oh God why wasn't there somethingAnything he could have doneTo save KennyTo save Ensign McCormick

He went to Jim's ready roomCalled Captain Kirk in to inform him"He's dead Jim."He said in a defeated tone"There was nothing I could doEnsign Kenny McCormick died at 17:25Of serious, multiple woundsAttained in the line of duty."

He saw Jim swallow sudden griefHe saw Jim try to take the burdenOf the death of another crewHe saw Jim's sympathyAs Jim clasped his right shoulder"I'm sure you tried everything possible.Spock went off duty a couple of minutes agoHe'll be waiting for youIn your quartersI'm sorry BonesI know you and Kenny played poker togetherI'll arrange the memorial."

Leonard walked wearilyTowards his quartersMind and soul swamped in griefHeart bleeding in painHe needed to get to his havenHis sanctuary of safetyHe needed to get homeHe needed to get to Spock

Spock saw his mateHis t'hylaHis dear doctor and cherished oneCome into their quartersHe saw the pain in Leonard's eyesFelt Leonard's mourning Through their bondLent a supporting armTo his One

Spock sat Leonard downUpon a sofaTook off Leonard's socks and shoesTook off his own clothingThen stood Leonard upTo remove Leonard'sSoothed his mate as he cried softlyMoving him gently into the showerWashing his Leonard with careCaressing him softlyTrying to ease Leonard's inner pain

Spock dried Leonard offHelped him into pajama bottomsPut on his own sleep robeLay Leonard gently on the bedClimbed in to lay beside himTurned Leonard to face himCradling his cherished doctor's headUpon his right shoulderHolding him in a comforting embraceGently stroking his fingersThrough Leonard's soft hairHolding his mate as he mournedAs Leonard cried himself to sleepAnd kissing Leonard's shoulderDetermined to be there alwaysFor this cherished oneFor his dear doctor.